Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Small Pro-Life Victory

I don't know if anyone was watching the news this weekend, but I was. I hosted an officers meeting and, once the meeting had concluded, we turned on CNN. We watched Nancy Pelosi talk about the Stupak-Pitts amendment and claim she wanted this to come to a vote although most of us have been "misinformed" on that. Watching politicians on TV is not something I enjoy so we soon turned off the broadcast once we found out the vote would not happen until at least 2:30. Well, I'm a couple days late in presenting this story, but I wanted to do so and include part of an email I received from the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC):

The House adopted the NRLC-backed Stupak-Pitts Amendment, 240-194. The Stupak-Pitts Amendment removed two major pro-abortion components from H.R. 3962. Specifically: (1) the amendment would permanently prohibit the new federal government insurance program, the "public option," from paying for abortion, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest; and (2) the amendment would permanently prohibit the use of the new federal premium subsidies ("affordability credits") to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest). The amendment was sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mi.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.). It was supported by 176 Republicans and 64 Democrats. It was opposed by 194 Democrats. One Republican withheld his support by voting "present."

I know it is hard to stay on top of what is happening with health care so I thought I would post an update. Unfortunately, even with this victory, a lot could still happen that would make a loop hole around the Amendment. Hopefully that will not happen and this country will have health care reform that we can all support - at least on moral grounds. The financing is a different story for someone else to tell.